Concerns high at trailway master plan meeting

What was intended as the final public presentation of a non-motorized trailway master plan turned into a lengthy discussion about turning old railroad beds into trails.

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By Terry Katzkatz@sturgisjournal.com

Sturgis Journal - Sturgis, MI

By Terry Katzkatz@sturgisjournal.com

Posted Nov. 28, 2012 at 10:00 AM

By Terry Katzkatz@sturgisjournal.com
Posted Nov. 28, 2012 at 10:00 AM

Sturgis Township

What was intended as the final public presentation of a non-motorized trailway master plan turned into a lengthy discussion about turning old railroad beds into trails.

More than 60 people packed Sturgis Township Hall Tuesday as John McMann, a landscape architect for the Viridis Design Group of Kalamazoo, gave an overview.

But some property owners in attendance wanted to talk about their rights. At the center of their concerns is a 19.37-mile stretch of abandoned Indiana Northeastern Railroad Co. tracks in St. Joseph and Branch counties.

When Indiana Northeastern Railroad filed a notice of abandonment on Sept. 18, it triggered excitement among trail enthusiasts.

"These trail people have been doing everything possible to see to it that the word doesn't get out about their meetings," said one man in the back row. "We can't get a direct answer from them about anything."

Sherman Township supervisor Bruce Bart said only one paragraph in the 28-page master plan mentioned the railroad bed as a possible trail.

During the development of the trailway master plan in the past year, two public workshops and two steering committee meetings were held to better understand the desires, needs and preferred routes of the community.

At Tuesday's meeting, a mother of two from Colorado who has lived in Sturgis for two years said, "My experience with trails has been wonderful. I see this as a quality of life issue. Trails do attract business."

A property owner along the abandoned tracks said he knows how much trash is thrown out on trails.

"I collected enough pop cans to buy my first tractor," he said.

Several property owners pointed out that a 100-foot right-of -way is at stake and they want the right to purchase that ground.

Rob LaBarge, CEO of Sturgis Hospital and member of the steering committee, said trying to tackle such a major project may never happen.

"It could cost millions over the next 10, 20, 30 years," he said.

Sturgis City Manager Michael Hughes said he tried to notify property owners who attended a recent city commission meeting discussion by postcard.

"After hearing their concerns, I felt obligated that we should notify people in St. Joseph County who shared their concerns," he said.

Hughes added that it's not easy notifying people in today's electronic age. He said some people may read newspapers while others read the Sturgis E-Wire or the city Facebook page.

"This town is dying," said one woman. "Who's going to be on these bike trails? We need businesses and jobs for people."

Andrew Brandt said the city didn't do his brother any favors when city employees recently trimmed grass on both sides of abandoned railroad property near Big Hill Road. His brother owns 55 acres between Big Hill Road and Thurston Woods Village.

Page 2 of 2 - "Now the deer and turkeys are staying away," he said. "I found someone sitting there along the tracks with his traps."

Sturgis city commissioner Skip Littman said a fiber optic cable is buried 48 inches along the abandoned railroad right-of-way. Littman is retired from Verizon.

Now that the master plan has been unveiled, it will be up to the city of Sturgis and townships of Sherman, Sturgis, Fawn River and Burr Oak to share it with residents and suggest changes.

Meanwhile, it was announced that a meeting of property owners along the abandoned railroad bed is planned for